Warner Bros. has tattooed Zack Snyder's name on its redo of "The Illustrated Man."

The helmer, busy prepping "Watchmen" for the studio, is attached to direct and produce the remake based on Ray Bradbury's collection of short stories by the same name. "Watchmen" scribe Alex Tse will tackle the screenplay.

The collection, first published in 1951, is narrated by a mysterious man with living tattoos that predict the future. Rod Steiger starred in the title role for the 1969 bigscreen adaptation, distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts; Claire Bloom co-starred.

Di Novi Pictures and Snyder's shingle, Cruel and Unusual Films, are producing the remake. Denise Di Novi, and Deborah Snyder, the helmer's wife and producing partner, are also producing, along with Frank Darabont. Cruel and Unusual's Wesley Coller and Di Novi's Alison Greenspan are exec producing.

Snyder and his wife signed a first-look deal with the studio in the wake of his success with "300" (Daily Variety, Jan. 30). They are producing "Illustrated Man" through Cruel and Unusual.

Di Novi's shingle has produced numerous films at the studio under its production deal, including "Nights in Rodanthe."

Coralinean upcoming animated stop-motion film based on Neil Gaiman's novella of the same name.Coraline is a young, bored girl who discovers that a bricked-up wall behind a door in her flat leads to another world, with another mother, and another father.

Laika Entertainment House (formerly Vinton Studios) has funded the film with around $50 to $70 million. It will be animated and co-directed by Henry Selick and Mike Cachuela and is scheduled to be theatres released on January 16, 2009. It is the first stop-motion animation to be shot stereoscopically with a dual digital camera rig for digital 3-D exhibition.[1] New tools are being developed which will give the stop-motion creators the same flexibility as CGI animators, making it possible to push objects forward and back in post[1]. Dakota Fanning will star as the voice of Coraline. Teri Hatcher will lend her voice to the roles of both Coraline's Mother and her Other Mother. Ian McShane will voice Mr. Bobinski, a beet-eating Russian giant who lives upstairs from Coraline in her alternate reality.

The IllusionistDjango Films is the flagship film studio of Sylvain Chomet, writer and director of the academy award nominated Les Triplettes de Belleville (The Triplets of Belleville / Belleville Rendez-Vous). Located in Edinburgh, Scotland, Django Films is currently in production with L'Illusionniste (The Illusionist) a 2D animated feature film which is based on an original script by French comic genius, Jacques Tati, and set to be released in mid-2009. Via Wikipedia.Via Wiwkipedia

August 26, 2007

Variety reports that NBC has decided to resurrect American Gladiators. The new version will focus on the reality aspect of the show, such as the back stories of contestants as well as following their training, etc. The show will feature eight gladiators (four men and four women) though there's no word if any of the originals like Nitro or Turbo will return. Although I'm kind of hoping they just bring in wild gorillas, dress them up in spandex, and let them beat the contestants to death.

Still unclear on the details, but it’s being reported yesterday that Vancouver animator Paul Boyd was shot and killed by police on Monday night. Boyd was a director on Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy and The Mr. Hell Show and provided animation on Gary Larson’s Tales From the Far Side and Mucha Lucha!.Via http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

August 19, 2007

The Korean artist Kim Joon uses the human body as a canvas for a brilliant 3D effect. Here's the Blue Tea Gallery, showcasing his works. And here's his personal website, where's you'll find dozens of beautiful body art photos, below is just a sample of his Hands series.

Frank Miller has found the star for his adaptation of Will Eisner's The Spirit in actor Gabriel Macht. Macht, who most recently starred in The Good Shepherd, will fight the villainous Octopus (played by Samuel L. Jackson) as the titular crimefighter who fakes his own death to fight from the shadows. Via iwatchstuff.